LOAN PROPOSALS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 275, 14 February 1929, Page 4

LOAN PROPOSALS.

PETITION AGAINST. A petition with 77 signatures against the loan proposals was received at Monday’s meeting of the Putaruru Town Board. The chairman stated that there

seemed to be a misapprehension in regard to the matter. Only ratepayers could sign such a petition, and mgny.. signatures were not valid, while : the law required that objections should be made which were to be forwarded to the Local Government Loans Board. The petition received did not comply with this and the board had to decide whether it was intended to be forwarded to the

Loans Board or not. Mr. Barr Brown stated that he understood the petitioners wanted to go the full length and therefore it should be sent to the board. The chairman then explained that he had advised the author of the petition when he first started that as it stood it was not worth the paper it was written on, and advised him to see one of the local lawyers to get it properly drafted. He had done this in an endeavour to be fair to both sides. The statements in the petition were not arguments but mere assertions. The petition sta£ed the town was not large enough, yet no attempt was made to prove the statement from the year book. It also stated that a large number of residents had installed their own schemes. This was an argument for water, for it was not fair for those who had water to refuse it to others, and a community scheme was the cheapest form of getting water. The speaker had installed his own scheme and was independent but he favoured the loan for others., Another statement was that sewerage would follow. This was so and so would death follow to each one, and it depended on the sanity of ratepayers how long each was kept off. Many towns had water without sewerage, including Cambridge and Tirau. Messrs. McDermott and Neal stated that Cambridge had water for about 25 years without sewerage. Continuing, the speaker stated the other arguments were similarly weak. He understood the same arguments were used against the present hall. The people who knew best were those who used the hall and they were agreed it was far too small. The speaker appealed for a larger view to be taken of the proposals, which should be viewed from the town point of view and not wholly from a personal one. He was in favour of sending it, if the board thdbght fit, to the Loans Board, with comments, but did not think it would do much good. Still, he wished to be perfectly fair to both sides.

Mr. Yandle : That’s right, I think it ought to go. Mr. Barr Brown stated he had nothing to do with the organisation of the petition and it was well signed before it was brought to him. He asked if he could inspect the comments before they were sent. The Chairman : Certainly, any member can.

Mr. Tomalin thought the petition should not be sent and that the matter should be settled at the proper time at the ballot box. He did not think petitions were of much value. Mr. McDermott held the ballot box was the place to settle the issue. Mr. Bent stated it looked as if they wanted to forestall the ballot box, where matter should be settled.

Mr, Neal took the same view but thought it would not do any harm to forward the petition. The chairman stated he was easy but wanted to carry out the petitioners’ wishes in the matter.

Mr. Barr Brown inquired if the board decided to send it forward could he withdraw it after consulting the petitioners. The chairman repeated that he was agreeable to either course. The clerk ported out that it would be a tremendous job to get the permission of all those who signed to withdraw the petition and later if it was withdrawn it might possibly be used in an attempt to upset the poll. The chairman agreed this was a sound view and suggested getting legal advice ns to the position of the board. The leaders could give a written withdrawal in black and white but that might not be enough.

After some further discussion it was agreed to submit the petition to the board’s solicito *e, and if thought necessary the petition to be forwarded with the board’s proposals. Tf not the petition may be withdrawn on written, application.